We recently received a letter from one of our club members regarding the Handicapped Derby and we thought we would share it with you. It reads as follows; The Knee Deep Club's Handicapped Outing was as "rewarding, special, humbling and self gratifying" as club president, Lou Marcucci and other club officers said it would be. The ages of the handicapped people at this event varied, probably from 15 to 65 years. They arrived on schedule at 12:00 P.M., at the Mount Arlington Pond for "their day" out, for fishing, barbecuing and pure fun. As they arrived, KDC club members set them up to fish on the bulkhead of the pond in folding chairs, some in their own wheel chairs, and some walked around the shores of the pond in search of the best fishing spot. Others just sat on blankets and watched the anglers and enjoyed the day. It was actually a great day for fishing (but what day isn't?) with some cloud cover, breaks of strong sunshine, and comfortable temperatures. To be able to help these people who are much less fortunate than most of us, by no fault of their own, was fulfilling to say the least. To see the smiles and joyful reactions, especially when catching a fish, was fabulous. All year long, year in and year out, we jump into our boats, fish until our heart's content, enter KDC club fishing contests, go to the monthly meetings, etc., and those are "our days". But this day, Saturday, June 12, 1999, was their day. A day when we are all reminded just how very lucky and blessed we really are, and realize that we take for granted a lot of things that we just consider to be normal. It puts a different perspective on things in our lives, one that reminds us that the problems or adverse situations that we have encountered in our lives are not all that bad. And most importantly, most of them are correctable or manageable. I don't think I speak for myself when I say that not only was this day enlightening and at times heart-wrenching, but it also was a day when I was most proud, over the span of my membership, to be a part of the Knee Deep Club. Thank you, Jim, for your letter and thanks to all the people who helped make the day the success that it was.
Jim Salerno